Upon their arrival in Sunrise, FL, the Pittsburgh Penguins had one task: to spoil any plans, the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, had to get closer to clinching a playoff spot.
Despite the Penguins’ best efforts, including two goals from Bryan Rust and 27 saves from Tristan Jarry, the visitors blew a one-goal lead late in the third period before losing 4-3 in a shootout.
Although Pittsburgh didn’t get the two points, they picked up one and inch closer to the 70-point plateau. What went right, and what went wrong in Florida? Let’s discuss.
Jarry Unable to Secure Lead in the Third Period
Last Tuesday, Jarry snapped his four-game win streak by giving up three third-period goals, leading the New York Islanders to a come-from-behind victory.
On Friday, Alex Nedeljkovic played against the Columbus Blue Jackets and backstopped the Penguins to a convincing 6-3 win. Against the Panthers, Jarry was spectacular in some moments and shaky in others.
Although every shot or shot attempt is recorded, no one tracks how many pucks get past a goalie during a game. If they did, we’d see that Jarry was saved by the post and crossbar and just lucky that pucks that snuck under his arm or pad found their way into the corner.
Ultimately, goalie coaches everywhere will wonder what maneuver Jarry was attempting on the game-tying goal. It wasn’t a butterfly or street hockey save; it was ugly.
Penguins Top Guns Are Firing on All Cylinders
On Sunday, Evgeni Malkin scored the second straight game; Rust had two goals and was buzzing all night looking for his seventh career hat trick. Meanwhile, Sidney Crosby is just two points shy of setting an NHL record for 20 seasons with a point-per-game average, and Rickard Rakell had an assist.
Collectively, the foursome are the top offensive players in the Pittsburgh lineup, and when the Stanley Cup champions are on the schedule, they need their best to play at their best.
Despite Crosby not registering a shot on goal for only the 10th time this season, he was all over the scoresheet and significantly impacted the game.
Although the Penguins got points from their best, the Panthers eventually won because their best was also productive. Whether it was Sam Reinhart with two goals or Aleksander Barkov with the shootout winner, the champs showed they still plan on defending deep into the spring.
More Opportunities on the Horizon
Head coach Mike Sullivan should return to Nedeljkovic for the Penguins’ Tuesday night game with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Moreover, depending on how that game unfolds, the bottom six skaters should get extra ice time to showcase their abilities.
In a rare move by the veteran bench boss, Sullivan sent out Blake Lizotte and Philip Tomasino in overtime, giving them a chance to impact the game instead of relying on his superstars to win it.
In the end, fans were treated to one fun overtime session with glorious scoring chances at each end. The Penguins and Panthers took advantage of long shifts and used every tool in their arsenal to light the lamp but to no avail.
Considering the Penguins playoff hopes are just a dream at this point, once some big names reach their milestones, it’s time to let the kids play, which could also yield some exciting and entertaining hockey in the final days.
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